Recipients 2016

Posthumous Award for Service

Town Marshal Jack G. Dietrick

Northport Marshal’s Office

On March 25, 1910 Marshal Deitrick was investigating an incident in which Martin Kloose had damaged a neighbor’s property with dynamite. Kloose fled to his cabin and refused to come out. Marshal Deitrick entered the cabin and was shot by Kloose. As Deitrick lay wounded on the floor, Kloose stood over him and fired again, killing Deitrick.
As citizens attempted to come to Deitrick’s aid, Kloose killed himself.
Marshal Deitrick served in law enforcement for twelve years.

Washington State Patrol Trooper Brent Hanger

Northwest Regional Task Force

Trooper Hanger was a member of the Cannabis Eradication Response Team, (CERT). On August 6, 2015 Hanger and his team were attempting to reach a marijuana grow operation on Chinook Pass in the Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The team was walking up a trail toward the grow location, when Trooper Hanger stopped walking, dropped his backpack and displayed a sudden change of behavior. Hanger was treated by a National Guard medic who was with the team. His heart stopped and CPR was initiated. Hanger was airlifted to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Hanger had been with the Washington State Patrol since July 9, 1998, and served for eighteen years.

Jailer David B. Morrell

Thurston County Sheriff’s Office

On March 1, 1910, Jailer Morrell was working in the Thurston County Jail. He was locking a cell door when a prisoner attacked him from behind, using a pipe he’d removed from the cell’s sink. The prisoner ran, and Morrell pursued. When he caught the prisoner, he was beaten with the pipe. The prisoner was able to get Morrell’s gun and shot him, killing the jailer.
The prisoner attempted to flee, but an angry mob formed intent on lynching him. He turned himself back into the jail to avoid the mob.
David Morrell was both a Civil War and Spanish-American war veteran.

Town Marshal Cornelius R. Pake

Town of Yelm

At about 2:30 AM on Saturday, February 6, 1926, Yelm Town Marshal Pake interrupted the burglary of a gas station in Yelm. Pake was shot four times in the groin and once in the leg. He was taken to St. Peter’s Hospital in Olympia, where he died.
Roy Jacobs was arrested and tried for Pake’s murder, but the jury was hung and he was released and never re-charged.
In 1935, Jacobs was convicted of killing Puyallup Police Chief Frank Chadwich and Officer Harry Storem. He was hanged in Walla Walla Prison on April 6th, 1943.

Officer Rick Silva

Chehalis Police Department

On February 7, 2015, just before 1:00 AM, Officer Silva was working as a patrol officer for the Chehalis Police Department when he was dispatched with another officer to a theft in progress at a Walmart store. The report said that a man was cutting open boxes with a knife and taking items out. The report said that the suspect had a knife concealed on his person.
The officers arrived and located the suspect. They told him he was under arrest and took hold of his arms. \
The suspect began to fight with the officers, and a struggle ensued. The officers were eventually able to gain control of the suspect and take him into custody.
Officers Silva injured his hip in the struggle, and was taken by ambulance to Providence Centralia Hospital, where he was treated and released.
The pain in Officer Silva’s hip did not go away. Doctors determined that he needed hip replacement. He had the surgery on June 15th. There were complications, and Officer Silva died on June 18th.
Officer Silva served with the Lewis County Sheriff’s from 1988-2002, and with the Chehalis Police Department from 2002 until his death in 2015.

Trooper Conrad C. Tolson

Washington State Patrol

On March 24, 1929 at about 9:30 PM, Trooper Tolson was riding his sidecar-equipped motorcycle on the newly opened “Seattle/Tacoma Highway”, (now SR99) near the Pierce/King County line when an oncoming car veered into his lane, colliding with Tolson. Tolson was transported to a Tacoma hospital, where he died. Tolson was 39 years old.
The driver of the car that Struck Trooper Tolson was arrested for manslaughter.

Lt. William S. Warfield

Washington State Department of Corrections

On November 17, 1970, Lt. William Warfield was working at the Walla Walla State Penitentiary. He was struggling with a prisoner who had been sentenced to the death penalty. During the struggle, Warfield was kicked in the chest. His heart stopped and he died as a result of the blow.
Lt. Warfield’s name is included at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington D.C.

US Immigration Inspector Charles Michael Flachs

US Customs and Border Protection

On Thursday, May 28, 1936, US Immigration Inspector Charles M. Flachs was working at the Blaine border crossing in Whatcom County. Edward McMullen, a fugitive from Canada attempted to cross the border into the United States.
Flachs was suspicious of McMullen and took McMullen to US Customs Inspector Leroy Pike to inquire more.
Once he was with Pike, McMullen pulled a pistol from his pocket and started shooting. Inspector Pike was unarmed, and wrestled with the gunman. He was hit twice by gunfire, but held on to McMullen from behind.
Inspector Flachs and others rushed to assist Pike. Flachs was hit by gunfire as he entered the room and collapsed on the floor.
Despite his wounds, Pike continued to hold McMullen, even as McMullen tried to shoot Pike in the face. Pike was able to deflect the gun, and the bullet hit McMullen in the eye. McMullen was taken into custody and transported to Seattle General Hospital, where he died.
Flachs died at the scene from the wound he received rushing to assist Pike.

For Serious Injury

US Customs Inspector Leroy J. Pike

US Customs and Border Protection

On Thursday, May 28, 1936, US Immigration Inspector Charles M. Flachs was working at the Blaine border crossing in Whatcom County. Edward McMullen, a fugitive from Canada attempted to cross the border into the United States. Flachs was suspicious of McMullen and took McMullen to US Customs Inspector Leroy Pike to inquire more. Once he was with Pike, McMullen pulled a pistol from his pocket and started shooting. Inspector Pike was unarmed, and wrestled with the gunman. He was hit twice by gunfire, but held on to McMullen from behind. Inspector Flachs and others rushed to assist Pike. Flachs was hit by gunfire as he entered the room and collapsed on the floor. Despite his wounds, Pike continued to hold McMullen, even as McMullen tried to shoot Pike in the face. Pike was able to deflect the gun, and the bullet hit McMullen in the eye. McMullen was taken into custody and transported to Seattle General Hospital, where he died. Flachs died at the scene from the wound he received rushing to assist Pike.

For Meritorious Conduct

Detective Scott Bramhall

Puyallup Police Department (Ret.)

On the afternoon of August 11, 2015 an elderly man was shot and killed in front of his house after he confronted Nathen Terault trying to steal his car.
Terault fled, and this quickly became an Active Shooter situation, with Terault firing indiscriminately at people in the neighborhood, including children. Terault stole a car and a vehicular pursuit took place.
Officer Wilson encountered Turault, and was fired upon. After being shot at, Wilson pursued Terault until Terault crashed the vehicle he was driving.
Terault tried to carjack another vehicle and fired rounds into the driver’s area while doing so. He then fled on foot.
Detective Bramhall was nearby, and upon seeing Terault, Bramhall fired this weapon, disabling him. Officer Wilson, despite having been fired upon already, quickly and decisively used his vehicle to pin Terault down and removed Terault’s weapon from him.

Officer Micah Wilson

Puyallup Police Department

On the afternoon of August 11, 2015 an elderly man was shot and killed in front of his house after he confronted Nathen Terault trying to steal his car.
Terault fled, and this quickly became an Active Shooter situation, with Terault firing indiscriminately at people in the neighborhood, including children. Terault stole a car and a vehicular pursuit took place.
Officer Wilson encountered Turault, and was fired upon. After being shot at, Wilson pursued Terault until Terault crashed the vehicle he was driving.
Terault tried to carjack another vehicle and fired rounds into the driver’s area while doing so. He then fled on foot.
Detective Bramhall was nearby, and upon seeing Terault, Bramhall fired this weapon, disabling him. Officer Wilson, despite having been fired upon already, quickly and decisively used his vehicle to pin Terault down and removed Terault’s weapon from him.

Officer Ed McClanahan

Lacey Police Department

On April 27, 2015, Officer Ed McClanahan was working as a School Resource Officer at North Thurston High School.
Just before the start of the school day, Officer McClanahan was leaving the main office at the school when he heard gunshots coming from the Commons area. The area was full of students before the start of their school day.
Officer McClanahan drew his weapon and raced to the area. He saw a teenaged male emerge from a stairwell. The male was armed with a handgun.
Officer McClanahan pointed his weapon at the suspect and ordered him to drop the weapon. There were too many students in the area for Officer McClanahan to fire. He attempted to get an angle were he could fire without harming innocent people. While he was doing so, a teacher at the school appeared and tackled the suspect.
McClanahan and the teacher held the suspect down, and McClanahan wrested the gun from him.
By acting quickly and decisively, Officer McClanahan engaged the shooter and along with the teacher, likely saved the lives of students and staff.